THE EXCELSIOR EXPERIENCE 

WHAT WE DO

We run a manual therapy clinic within a small training space, focused on treating chronic pain, injury, and movement imbalances. We combine soft-tissue therapy with coaching on how to maintain and build strength through mindful training.

What sets us apart is our focus on "end-range" strength, training the full joint and surrounding tissues, not just mid-range muscle activation like most fitness programs. We cater to all levels, from beginners to athletes, guided by principles of anatomy, physiology, and functional movement science.

Education is at the heart of our practice. We empower clients with knowledge to manage their bodies long-term with classes and coaching that integrate our approach to strengthening, rehabbing, and learning together.

WHO WE ARE

The Excelsior community is made up of clients, colleagues, professionals, old friends, and new acquaintances. We are health-seekers, parents, athletes, retirees, caregivers, rehabilitators, coaches, and students. We are warm, welcoming, and seek to inspire each other to get better every day.

Excelsior’s practitioners (read about us here) are manual therapists and coaches who banded together to bring the science of Functional Range Systems® to Lancaster County. Our own experiences with injury and illness led us to seek long-term health solutions beyond traditional fitness models. We specialize in Functional Assessment and Release, Functional Range Conditioning, Kinstretch, and the Internal Strength Model.

WHERE TO START

  • Unsure where to begin? Book a consult to discuss your goals. We’ll assess, explain, and give you a sample of our work, offering feedback and data from the assessment. If we agree the work can help, we’ll recommend a session or class to support your goals. If you’re dealing with injury, pain, or restrictions, a clinic session is a great place to start.

  • If you want to build on clinic results or strengthen your body, overcome training ruts, or approach fitness with a focus on longevity, one-on-one coaching is for you. Sessions take place in the training hall, focusing on strength and joint range for your everyday life or specific goals—whether you’re training for a sport or working a desk job.

  • For anyone looking to improve movement—whether you’re a pro athlete, student, or grandparent—Kinstretch is a great place to start and never stop. This mat-based, joint-specific training teaches the fundamentals of movement to increase range of motion, strength, and articular control, helping you work safely and sustainably. It’s accessible for all ages and skill levels.

NO ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL PATH. We support your unique goals and needs, adjusting your plan as you progress. Some clients come weekly, others bi-monthly, or as needed. Many join weekly Kinstretch classes to deepen their understanding of body mechanics. Whatever path you take, we’ll craft a plan that makes sense for you.

NEED GUIDANCE? Book a consult or reach out. We’re happy to help!

HOW TO BOOK

Visit the SCHEDULING PAGE to see our weekly schedule, and explore session and class descriptions and pricing. Click the BOOK button for the type of session you’d like. Then choose from available dates and times and fill out your information. If you need any assistance, reach out and we’ll help.

SEE OUR SPACE

We’re located inside the lobby of our partner gym, OPEX Lancaster. Consult and clinic sessions take place inside our small clinic room. Coaching and classes take place inside the training hall. We have a spacious parking lot outside, restrooms inside, and a waiting area in the lobby. See the photos below to check out our space. (Photos by V)

WHAT TO WEAR

FOR CONSULTS AND CLINIC SESSIONS: You are always clothed. Muscle and connective tissue are treated through manual pressure often applied to parts of the skin or clothing covering the skin. Many clients wear shorts, leggings, and tank top/t-shirt to make this possible. Above all, be comfortable.

FOR COACHING + CLASSES: Wear athletic-style clothing you’re comfortable in and can move freely in.

FOR WOMEN’S SELF-DEFENSE: Wear clothing that allows you to move comfortably and protect your shoulders and knees from mat burn. Many participants choose t-shirts and stretch leggings or athletic pants.

 

WHAT TO EXPECT

  • Expect to be heard. First and foremost, this is a time set aside where you get to talk about your experiences, symptoms, or goals, while we listen. Based off our discussion, we’ll have some ideas about what assessments we can do to gain more data.

    We’ll use those assessments to measure your articular capacity. Where can you move? Where can’t you move? How do you compensate? Do your joints have enough workspace, especially the ones reporting pain or symptoms? Is your active range adequate to your passive range? Does your connective tissue restrict articulation or force absorption? What afferent or efferent signals are present?

    These assessments pair with your report of symptoms and goals, and help us determine whether our work can help and what that might look like. We’ll then make sure you have an introductory explanation and sample of the type of work we do. You leave with more data to help you make an informed decision.

    Book CONSULT

  • The work can be intense, but we’ll never push you beyond your limits. We start by checking in on how you’re feeling and any goals or concerns. It’s a team effort, and we maintain an open conversation throughout the session. While your therapist leads the flow, you remain in control. We apply manual pressure to muscles, bones, and connective tissue, guiding you to move, contract, relax, and hold isometrically.

    Each session focuses on joint workspace, surrounding tissue tension, and neurological control, integrating all these functions. You’re an active participant; table work is not passive therapy. Most clients describe it as a “workout” tailored to their level, addressing specific restrictions, pain, and weaknesses. Our aim is for you to leave with valuable insights into your body. The principles we use on the therapy table form the foundation for everything Excelsior does— from intervention to training.

    Book CLINIC

  • We start with an assessment to check in on how you’re feeling, your recovery, and your specific goals. From there, we focus on your movement patterns, in daily life or in sport, breaking them down into smaller parts to train those parts.

    Our expertise lies in joint-based, tissue-specific, neurologically-focused training that always prioritizes longevity and long-term health. For some clients, we also incorporate the Morpheus heart-rate variability program to enhance cardiovascular health and recovery.

    Our coaching goals include to help you retain progress if you visited the clinic, to boost performance and longevity for athletes, and to support any other health and fitness goals you have. Some clients also choose coaching to prepare for Kinstretch by getting an introduction to its concepts.

    Book COACHING

  • We dive right into a CARs warm up, then start working a particular joint or joint system, like hips or shoulders. We assess our own capacity in said joint, and then train for more of that capacity through a progressive series of inputs, beginning with capsular workspace, then connective tissue architecture, then load-bearing capacity and so on.

    Kinstretch is known for being challenging in its own way— not because we’re slinging barbells and bounding box jumps— but because we set those patterns aside to train their prerequisites, such as isolating the femur in the hip socket, and applying functional science to create room to do more of the things a hip joint can do: flexion, rotation, abduction, extension.

    Kinstretch scales elegantly to any skeleton. No matter age or ability level, this type of training exposes deficiencies and presents a straightforward solution. Every human can use more articular freedom and control; less restriction, compensation, and pain. Its there for the taking. Kinstretch is the classroom, the lab, the workshop where we get that work done. We rotate, flex, contract, relax, cramp, laugh, commiserate, and learn together.

    How to attend KINSTRETCH

 

WHO WE HELP

Excelsior has worked with youth, athletes, rehabilitators, office workers, caregivers, parents, retirees, and more— ages 9 to 85. People who are looking to get healthy, to address chronic pain, to stay mobile as they age, to be able to get down and back up off the floor with their kids or grand kids, to elevate their performance in pro sports, to prepare for a better surgery outcome, to go a different route than surgery, to keep making progress after being discharged from physical therapy, to address symptoms from illness, to be part of a community wanting to get healthy, and much more.

CONDITIONS + CONDITIONING NEEDS WE SEE AT EXCELSIOR

 
  • tension

  • chronic pain

  • arthritis

  • joint stiffness

  • muscle tightness

  • immobility

  • neck pain

  • balance issues

  • back pain

  • soft tissue injury

  • scar tissue

  • scoliosis

  • thoracic outlet syndrome

  • degenerative disc disease

  • sciatica

  • piriformis syndrome

  • frozen shoulder

  • knee pain

  • multiple sclerosis

  • ACL post-surgery rehab

  • whiplash

  • headaches

  • migraines

  • TMJ disorder

  • carpal tunnel

  • bunions

  • ankle sprains

  • plantar fasciitis

  • joint replacement reconditioning

  • bulging disc

  • spinal fusions

  • tennis elbow

  • bursitis

  • rate of force development

  • fast-twitch recruitment

  • endurance

  • strength training

  • injury-prevention

  • tarsal tunnel syndrome

  • Colles fracture wrist rehab

  • Parkinson’s

  • pregnancy

  • spinal stenosis

  • stroke recovery

  • autoimmune disease

  • costochondritis

  • fibromyalgia

  • muscle wasting

  • rotator cuff injury

  • diabetes

  • fallen arches

  • achilles heel pain

  • prosthetics

  • spondylolisthesis

  • spondylosis

  • trigger finger

  • torticollis

  • diastasis recti

  • plantar fibromatosis

  • paresthesia